Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Updated
Updated
This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is quick and easy made with wild rice instead of noodles, a creamy broth, and a blend of wonderful spices. It’s great for lunch or dinner and perfect on a chilly day.
If you love wild rice, make sure to check out my favorite stuffed salmon and stuffed acorn squash!
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Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup – Panera Copycat
Nothing quite feeds my soul when it’s cold and blistery out (or when I’m sick!) then chicken soup, and I have a few that I alternate between – my classic chicken noodle soup, avgolemono soup, and this chicken wild rice soup.
This tastes like your favorite soup at Panera Bread – creamy, with lots of goodies in every spoonful. It’s perfect in the winter time, but light enough for the spring and summer months, too. My family loves it.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a handful of super simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
(Scroll down to the detailed printable recipe card for details and exact measurements.)
- Unsalted butter and olive oil – These add richness and are used to sauté the veggies.
- Vegetables – Diced onion and carrots add flavor, texture, and nutrition.
- Chicken broth – I use low sodium since the spice packet contains salt.
- Long grain wild rice with spice packet – I buy the 6 ounce box, but you can make up your own blend, if you prefer. You will need 3/4 cup of dry wild rice and 3 tablespoons of seasoning.
- Chopped, cooked chicken – You can make your own roast chicken or use rotisserie chicken.
- Half-and-half – This is equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
- Seasoning – Additional salt and pepper to season the vegetables.
How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup
This soup recipe is super easy to make in just a few steps.
(For all the details, scroll down to the complete printable recipe card and don’t miss the video below.)
- Sauté the vegetables. In a large pot, warm butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots; saute, stirring occasionally until softened. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the broth and rice. Pour in chicken broth and raise temperature to medium high heat; bring to a boil and pour in rice and the seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in chicken and half-n-half. Add diced up, cooked chicken and half and half. Cook for a few more minutes until the rice is softened completely, soup has thickened slightly and chicken is warmed through. Taste and season accordingly.
Video: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Serving Suggestions
This soup is creamy, with great flavor from the rice spice packet, and full of goodies in every spoonful. So delicious! It’s pretty substantial on its own, but you can’t go wrong with some homemade garlic bread on the side to mop up any last dribbles in the bowl.
Storing Leftovers
Allow to cool completely, then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. (Keep in mind that the rice will continue to plump up as it rests.) I do not recommend freezing this soup due to the dairy component, which tends to separate after thawing, leaving a less than desirable taste and texture.
More Soup Recipes:
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Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, , diced
- 4 medium carrots, , peeled and sliced into rounds
- salt and pepper, , to taste
- 49 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 ounce box long grain wild rice with spice packet
- 2 & 1/2 cups cooked chicken pieces
- 1 cup half-and-half
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots; saute, stirring occasionally until softened, about 6-7 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour in chicken broth and raise temperature to medium high heat; bring to a boil and pour in rice and the seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cooked chicken pieces and half-and-half. Cook 2-3 more minutes or until rice is softened completely, soup has thickened slightly and chicken is warmed through.
- Taste and season accordingly. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
I made the chicken wild rice soup and it was delicious. My husband and I are looking forward to having it again tonight.
This is recipe is on constant repeat at our house.. we have been trying to up our protein and lower our calories and have recently starting subbing blended cottage cheese for the half and half and it’s still fabulous!
Hello. I just discovered your site and will be trying some of your interesting recipes, including this one for the wild rice soup. I had two questions, though. 1.) is there a particular brand of wild rice with spice packet that you used when you made this recipe, that you prefer? and 2.) if I wanted to thicken this soup a bit, what would you recommend (what would be the best way to thicken it?–less broth? more half and half? ) Thanks you!
My family LOVED it!
I have made this for my family and many other families. Every time, the recipients call me and ask for the recipe. It’s always a hit with everyone.
I loved these excellent recipes, they are simple and feels tasty
Just made this soup and it was YUMMY! One of the best soups I’ve made in a long time. I did substitute a 13 oz. can of cocoanut milk for the half and half since I’m allergic to dairy.
This is the perfect soup for cold winter nights. Definitely making this again!
I’ve made this twice now and it’s really easy and delicious. Even my picky eaters love it.
Delicious. I used Near East wild rice with spice packet, since the recipe didn’t specify.
Thanks for the alternative to make the rice and spice packet from scratch. That’s what I did, since we buy our wild rice in bulk. Very helpful. Turned out delicious.
Thanks for the great chicken soup recipe – my family loved it.
Yummmmmy!! Just made this and it hits the spot on a cool fall day! I usually avoid making chicken soup because of my perceived notion that it is too time consuming. This was so quick and easy! Next time I make it I will add some garlic.( The flavor is good, but I need my garlic :)
I have to be in the mood for soup, which usually means REALLY cold weather or being sick. Somehow soup really DOES make you feel better. This ounds great, Amy. Although, I bet it would be better with celery. :)
Glad you guys are feeling better! Spring-time sickness is no fun!
I love soup all year round. Can’t wait to try this.
I’ve been craving wild rice soup all winter, but have never managed to make up a batch. Looking at this delicious pot of goodness is making me famished — and I feel just fine :)
This is one of the rare soups I actually eat year-round. We love it!
This soup is crazy good and unbelievably easy. Going in rotation!
This one is delicious; perfect soup to pick you guys us up by the bootstraps.
OMG Amy, we have done it again….guess what my next post is? Go ahead?
Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup. So dang close. We are always on the same wave length. Mine does have celery in it…and shrooms too! Glad you’re both feeling better. Can’t wait to see what we both make next, lol.
I’m always so glad that you and I feel the same way about celery. It makes me feel more sane.
It was gross and rainy here yesterday. I poofy-haired myself all the way to starbucks (about a half mile) and I’m sure I looked like a crazy person and I really could have used some soup. Ah. Next time. This looks so delicious!